Method of applying coupling-nuts to shouldered nipples.



P. MUELLER. METHOD OF APPLYING COUPLING NUTS T0 SHOULDERED NIPPLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1911. I

998,587. Patented July 18, 1911.

- I I I I I I l/IIIIII/IIA'IIIII fi PHILIP MUELLER, or DECATUR, ILLINQIS, ASSIGNOR ro THE E. MUEL ER MANUFAC- roams COMPANY, or DECATUR, ILLINOIS, n CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jilly 1S, 1911.

Application filed March 28, 1911; Serial No. 617,518.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP MUELLErna citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Applying Coupling-Nuts to Shouldered Nipples, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a method of applying coupling nuts to shouldered nipples and other tubular members by means of pressure applied within the nipple after the nut has been placed thereon. t

The object of the invention is to form in a simple, cheap, and accurate manner, without the use of skilled labor, nipples and other fittings provided with a union cou pling nut by employing a suitable stock the stem of which is of uniform diameter throughout its length with an external groove near one end to form a shoulder. Thebore of the stem is also straight for the greater part of its length but contracted opposite the external groove .sothat when pressure is applied from within, the upper edge of the external groove will be forced laterally andiproject beyond the periphery of the stem in the form of a shoulder which will retain the'coupling nut on the stem and form a bearing or abutment when the nut is screwed on a coacting part.

Other objects of invention not hereinabove mentioned will be described hereinafter,

pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a nipple with a coupling nut thereon andan expanding tool in the bore, and Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the completed article. In the drawing, 10 indicates a tubula cylindrical memberwhich may be of anydesired character, but here shown for convenience of illustration, as the stem of a nipple on one end of which is a threaded enlargement 11. The opposite end of the stem 10 may be tapered as at-l2, at the base of which tapered portion or a short distance from its end, the stem is undercut to form a shoulder 13 from the bottom of which is a second tapered portion 14 extending rearwardly any desired distance. The shoulder 13 and tapered portion 14 forming together an external groove. The stem 10 may be,

and preferably is, made of uniform diamethe rest of the fitting,

ter throughout its length, and the shoulder '13 and tapered portions 12 and 14 formed on a lathe or other tool, or the exterior" groove may be otherwise produced. The

bore 15 of the stem is cylindrical for the greater part of its length, but begins to lessen in diameter from about the beginning of the tapered portion 14 to the shoulder 13 at which point 16 the bore is most contracted. The bore then gradually widens in the, type of fitting shown to the end of the stem. It will be noted upon inspection of Fig. 1, that the tapered portion 17 of the bore behind the contracted part 16 thereof is substantially parallel with the exterior taper 14, while the forward tapered part 18 when made in the bore is widest at the extremity of the stem and there has a diameter equal to the, bore 15. -The contracted or reducedpart 16 of the bore may be formed in an desired way, as for instance, by casting the stem with an annular projection 16 extending into the bore or by forming the stem With a small bore having a diameter equal to that of the contracted portion and then drilling out and tapering the same by suitable and well known tools. With a ni ple or other fitting having an end formed as tion is to expand said end in a lateral direction to cause the shoulder 13 to project beyond the body of the stem 10, as in Fig. 2.

To do this, a cylindrical expanding tool 19 having a long tapered end 20 is inserted'in the bore 15 from the rear and pressed forward, first slipping the coupling nut 21 over the stem 10. The tapered end of the expander 20 coming in contact with the contracted part 16 and tapered wall 17 of the bore, presses the material forming the stem 10 laterally and forces the shoulder 13 outwardly and causes it to project beyond the periphery -of said stem, at thesame time straightening the angular or tapering part 14in line with the rest of the stem.

By this method of construction, union couplings can be made on the ends of fittings having an enlargementin rear of the shoulder or retaining collar 13 over which the coupling nut cannot pass, by very simple means and at a greatly reduced cost. Fur thermore, the shoulder, being integral with willbe very strong. What I claim is 1. The herein described method of secur above described the next step in the operaing coupling nuts on tubular fittings, which consists in forming a shoulder on the exterior of the tubular fitting by ooving the same, reducing the bore of said fitting opposite said shoulder, slippinga nut over- 'said tubular fitting and then forcing a'n expander through said bore to press the material laterally, whereby said shoulder is carried beyond the periphery of said tubular fitting to form a retaining collar for the coupling. 2. The herein described methodof securing couplin nuts on tubular fittings, which consists in orcing laterally the walls of said tubular fitting after slipping a nut there: over, by means of an expanding tool acting in the bore thereof against a reduced part of said bore opposite a shoulder formed by groovlng the exterior of the tubular fitting,

said shoulder being forced beyond the peripheral surface of said fitting.

3. The herein described method ofsecuring coupling nuts on tubular fittings; which consists in forcing an expanding --tool through the bore of said tubular fitting after slipping a coupling nut thereon, to force an inwardly inclined portion" of the walls of said fitting laterally in a continuousstraight line and project an exterior shoulder'formed on" said fitting and of less diameter than the opening through the coupling nut flange outwardly to form a retaining collar for said coupling nut. I

' 4. The herein described method of secur- 1 ing coupling nuts on tubular fittings, which consists in pressing the vWalls of a tubular fitting, over which a con ling nut has been slipped, laterally to' orce an exterior shoulder formed on said fitting outwardly to produce a retaining collar for said coupling nut.

.55. The herein described method of secur- I ing coupling nuts on tubular fittings, which consists in pressing the walls of a. tubular fitting, over which a coupling nut has been slipped, laterally by interior pressure exerted' 'in a longitudinal direction to force an .wardly .to produce a retaining collar for said coupling nut.

6. The herein described method of securof a fitting and tapering said fitting from the bottom ofsaid shoulder toward the rear of the fitting for a suitable distance reducing the bore of said fitting in line with said to the external taper, and then forcing an ,exp'ander through said bore, after, placing a coupling nut on the tubular member, to spread laterally said tapered portion into line with the main part of said fitting and cause the shoulder to projectbeyond it.

- In testimony whereof I halye hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses;

PHILIP MUELLER.

' Witnesses: d

LEONARD F. MoKIBBEN,

WILLIAM R. BIDDLE.

ing coupling-nuts on tubular fittings, which ,cofisists in forming a shoulder near the end shoulder and tapering it therefrom parallel.

exterior'shoulder formed on said fitting out- 

